Invisible illness and DI: A wholesaler learns a sad lesson

By Anna Bowden

Rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, mental illness and other types of chronic pain and fatigue are not illnesses with outward displays of their symptoms. Sometimes there is no indication to the person suffering that this illness will overtake their lives. But often it does. It is surprising how life can change without warning, and never again be the same.

But it happens to many people every year. The Arthritis Foundation reports 1.5 million Americans struggle with RA and the National Center for Biotechnology Information reports more than 2 million people worldwide have MS — and it happened to me. “Why,” I ask myself almost daily, “did I not buy a personal policy when I could?”

In my work as a disability insurance wholesaler, I have witnessed countless times when clients applying for DI were unable to purchase a policy because they already had a disqualifying illness or injury. So why didn’t I take that advice that I preach each day? I guess I was like most people — I thought I had more time, and I just didn't think that something would happen to me.

But now, diagnosed and despite medication, I work through pain every day and I hope that it does not consume me so much that I have no choice but to go on disability. Even though I have employer-sponsored disability insurance, group plans have a monthly benefit cap that can further limit what individuals can receive, so it only allows for a 50% replacement of my income — and that figure will be even less once tax obligations are fulfilled.

I will never forget the day I knew I had RA, even before it was officially diagnosed. I was making the 3.5-hour drive home from seeing my mom for Thanksgiving and enjoying listening to football games on Sirius XM. Out of nowhere, I felt the most excruciating pain in both of my feet. The pain was so intense, it literally felt like my bones were breaking. Within days, I could not walk. I could not get up by myself. Nighttime was the worst. I feared going to sleep because when I woke up, my body felt as if rigor mortis had set in and the initial movements of getting out of bed caused excruciating pain.

It took many years filled with numerous trials and errors with different medications and dosages to get to a place where I am functioning as well as can be expected. Surprisingly enough, I worked through all of this. How could I not? As a single mom, I cannot cover living expenses for myself and my children with only 50% of my paycheck. If I had purchased DI, I could have minimized the financial stresses that undoubtedly exacerbated my symptoms, consequently increasing my pain, throughout those trying years. Since then, I have developed a few other conditions on top of RA, so now I am completely uninsurable.

If I had purchased DI coverage when I could, it would provide at least some financial, if not physical, comfort. I must live with my decision. But you can write your clients’ stories differently than mine. Encourage them to invest in DI coverage now!